


Bizarro Girl

by Tahari



Category: Worm - Wildbow
Genre: Not a crack fic, Tinker Taylor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-08 16:47:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12258219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tahari/pseuds/Tahari
Summary: Taylor's experience during the locker leaves her with a strong desire for answers and after a mild slip into insanity a very different power then in canon.  Now, Taylor is a Tinker, with the ability to build powerful, awe-inspiring technology, but for some reason all of her creations turn out a bit on the wacky side.   See how her new power causes massive butterflies and changes all that you think you know about this world.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So, first.... no this is not a crossover with the D.C. Comic universe.
> 
> Second... originally I was inspired to try my hand at writing a crack fic, but it turns out comedy is not my strong suit. So while I still am attempting to make this story humorous... you all will have to tell me how well I actually succeed. (It starts out pretty serious, but hopefully will get more funny with time.)
> 
> Third, this story I originally posted over at Spacebattles, so don't worry - this is not a case of plagiarism - I am the same author, lol.

Dread rose within me as heads turned and mouths snickered behind hands as I walked through Winslow's halls. Space opened around my locker, the crowd circling like vultures. No doubt they had done something to it. The terrible trio, my own personal bit of hell. I'd hoped they'd gotten bored with tormenting me, but that would be too good to be true.

A fly buzzed out of the slat as I reluctantly turned the dial. It was like I was watching a train wreck. I knew it was going to be horrible, but I just couldn't turn away. The door opened, and a whaft of foul air blew over me. I gagged as several used bloody tampons and pads slipped off the mound filling my locker.

"Look, she's made a nest to share with the other maggots." Madison's overly cute voice dripped with glee.

Laughter grew from the jackals surrounding us, "Very clever Madison. How long did it take you to come up with that one?"

"At least she can come up with witty remarks, your brain is no bigger than those bugs," the mocking voice cut through the crowd as she stepped forward and my heart twanged, Emma, my own once best friend turned nemesis, "After all you still haven't learned that we don't want you here - that no one wants you here."

"I deserve to be here, the same as you do!"

"You're wrong Hebert," Sophia, the last of the bitchy three, "You're weak, less than nothing, and we're going to show it to you."

I had a moment to panic as she lunged forward, my arms raising as she bodily ploughed into me. Lightning crashed across my vision as my head cracked against the metal locker behind me. 

Dazed, I could still hear muffled cries rising like the tide around me, "Fight, fight, fight!"

Then part of me, the part that had tried for so long to play by the rules, tried to inform the teachers and resolve things peacefully, snapped and my fist rocketed towards Sophia's face. For a moment her eyes widened in surprise, before narrowing as she dodged slick as an eel. One hand redirecting mine in a move that left me literally whirling, my arm wrenched behind my back, and my glasses cutting into my face as it pressed hard against the lockers.

"Think you can try and attack me, weakling?"

"Let go you insane bitch!" I screamed as she wrenched my arm higher.

"You're no predator Hebert. You're weak, prey, and I'm going to make sure you know your place." She shifted me sideways until I fell face first into my locker, then kicked the back of my knees to force me fully within and slammed the door shut. "How about you just stay in there until you remember where you belong."

"Let me out you psychotic, syphilitic..." I let loose a slew of the worst insults and profanity I could remember hearing from my Dad's fellow dockworkers as I slammed my hands and feet and knees into the door, trying to force it open. Scrapes opened on my skin, but I didn't care as I thrashed angrily.

My temper eventually wore itself out along with my voice and depression began to creep into its place. Why had no one helped me, tried to release me? There was no way plenty of people hadn't heard - that teachers heard. So, why? Was it really simply that I was worth less than super model Emma, track star Sophia, and teacher's pet Madison?

No, I shook my head, I couldn't believe that. There was something more going on. Something that could explain it more than just Emma's lawyer father. I mean, how did they manage to put all those tampons in my locker anyways?

I cringed at the reminder of what I stood knee deep in. The flies buzzing growing louder to my ears and an itching, crawling sensation crept across my arms and under my pant legs. Was I simply imagining it, or were there really... No! That way lay madness. I desperately forced my mind to continue with its prior train of thought.

I knew I had been super careful about not letting anyone see me locker combination. I learned my lesson after they stole my mom's flute from the band instrumental locker. But now that I thought about it, some of the previous pranks and sabotage seemed pretty odd. Oh not the spit balls, gum on my chair, or trips in the halls, but other stuff. Homework assignments mysteriously stolen or destroyed inside my bag, or somehow even disappearing from the teacher's folders. Months and months of similar incidents.

A determination filled me, ignoring them simply hadn't worked, they obviously had something on the school, or maybe just Principal Blackwell. Well whatever it was, and ordinary methods probably wouldn't be able to cut it, but somehow, someway I was going to figure out what the hell was going on and expose it all. The trio would not keep getting away with this. As soon as I got out of this locker that is. My current situation whirled up and slapped me back in the face with all that I had been trying to ignore.

Pain was still radiating from the back of my skull where I struck it and I was feeling a bit nauseous and lightheaded from the smells. Or was it my thirst? How long had I been in here anyways? An hour? Had the bell already rung and I simply didn't hear it in my screaming? The walls seemed to close in on me and I felt too hot.

The sudden ringing of the bell broke me out of my climbing panic. "Help!" I tried to cry, but my voice barely cracked and I winced at the sudden pain. Well if I couldn't yell... I kicked the door instead.

Laughter, "How you doing in there Taylor?" My blood boiled and I screamed in inarticulate rage despite the damage to my throat. "Don't worry, we'll let you out eventually." 

Her laughter tapered off as I seethed and the sound of the thundering herd died down. How could they get away with this? It had to be some kind of crime. I gritted my teeth, I wouldn't let them win this time. This time they'd gone too far.

The hours passed with no aid and I got hotter and fainter. Dizzy spells took me and I blacked out for periods. My nausea grew, and despite trying to breathe fresh air through the slats, my stomach finally had enough. I heaved, vomit coating the front of my locker and shirt. My throat burned and my nose ran and I cried.

I needed to get out. No one was going to help me. I scraped for ways to escape, ideas both clever and insane darting through my head, but in the end they were all impossible. I had no tools, no equipment, nothing. 

I think I went crazy there towards the end. I remember whirling giants colliding, a cartoon coyote building a giant mousetrap, and a rising pain throughout my body.... then only darkness.


	2. The Slinky

Sparks flew as Armsmaster carefully soldered the last microchip into the series. His new lie detector software needed a higher processing power to operate efficiently. It would also be necessary for when he managed to complete his combat prediction module.

A beep sounded near his head, "Armsmaster, this is Console."

He turned off the micro-soldering gun and reached for the radio, "Console, this is Armsmaster. What is the situation?"

"Got an odd one for you. Apparently one of the patients at McCrae Memorial Hospital began tinkering while doped up on pain meds. They sedated her to get her to stop, but need you to come down and make sure whatever it is she built is safe. Over."

His thoughts sped through the possibilities. The only known female Tinker in the city currently was Squealer of the Merchants. Console had stated that the patient was under the influence of a pain medication, so the possibility that she is there for a drug overdose would be unlikely. There also wasn't any reported battles involving her recently where she could have become injured. Of course, a tinker tech accident was possible, but generally those were either mild and did not require in-hospitalization or severe and did not leave a person in any kind of shape to tinker. Thus, the possibility of the Tinker being Squealer was fairly low. Conclusion, patient likely is a new trigger. Still, just in case...

"Console, route a PRT squad and containment van over to the hospital. There's a possibility we're dealing with Squealer here. I don't believe she is, rather a new trigger, but better to be prepared." The Protectorate Commander said as he closed the panel on his helmet. "I'm leaving my lab now. Estimated arrival is 13 minutes. Over."

"Thank you Armsmaster. I'll let the hospital know. Over."

He ran a quick diagnostic to make sure all was working as it should, then strode out the door. The ride across the water from the Rig to downtown only took six minutes and it was but five more to the hospital on his bike. Precisely 13 minutes after he spoke to Console, the blue armored hero stepped through the front doors of McCrae Memorial. Striding towards the front desk he was intercepted by a female doctor.

"Armsmaster, over here please. We're so glad you could come so quickly. We really have been worried that the thing is dangerous."

"You made the right call Doctor...?"

"Swartz. Please call me Ruby though," she smiled.

"Dr. Swartz," her smile dipped, "what can you tell me about the patient and tinker tech device?"

She began leading the way down the hall, "Patient is a 15 year old female admitted unconscious suffering necrotic contusions, Toxic Shock Syndrome, and dehydration. She was immediately put on antibiotics and given IV fluids before being taken into surgery to incise the necrotic tissue. That was approximately 28 hours ago."

"Name?"

"Taylor Hebert. Since then we have kept her on morphine as well as started her on dialysis. About half an hour ago, the nurse on duty had discovered she had dismantled several machines in her room and built... something."

"Something?" Armsmaster asked as they reached and entered an elevator.

"Something." The doctor confirmed, looking a bit bemused, "To be honest, it looks like a large Slinky. It certainly moves just like a Slinky anyways. We sedated the patient and put a box over the object and weighed it down to keep it in place, but we really weren't sure what else to do."

"You did well." He said as they exited the elevator, "It is unlikely the device is too dangerous being created from random hospital machines, but Tinker tech is always better left to the professionals."

"It's right over here." She gestured to the box sitting in the middle of the hallway with several binders on top of it.

He pulled out a sensor from a compartment on his belt. Numbers lined up on his visor. Radiation within nominal levels for a hospital. No trace of any noxious gases, unusual chemicals, or exotic particles either. Now to see it. Adrenaline spiked as he carefully pulled the box up.

Unusual, it really did look like a Slinky with more solid ends, he thought as the device, stopped mid movement by the box continued its downward motion. I wonder what it does?

Then, as the end hit the floor, "BOOM!" as the floor under it exploded slightly, throwing the Tinker tech device off the ground.

"Take cover!" Barked the hero as the doctor dove behind the nurse's station and he crouched down quickly bringing up a kinetic shield generator online. It wouldn't block more powerful blasts, but this one hadn't been too big. 

He watched cautiously as the Slinky briefly ricocheted around the hall, before falling back to the ground to continue its previous arching movement. He stared. A bit perplexed now, he studied it and made several careful notations and calculations. Fascinating, there was absolutely no momentum or inertia being lost at all.

He grabbed his halberd off his back and extended it. He reached out and used it to gently poke the device. It shifted in path, but otherwise did not react at all. After a moment of deliberation, he positioned his blade in its path, halting it in place. Nothing happened. He removed the blade. A hard clap sounded as the end touched down, bouncing the entire device and slightly changing the course of its progression.

He tilted his head. How in the world did she create a perpetual motion machine that stored energy while at rest? 

Ideas whirled. If he could understand how she made this (out of hospital equipment no less!), so many possibilities would open up. A new type of propellant, a source of energy - schematics rushed across his mind.

"Armsmaster?" Dr. Swartz squeaked as her head peaked up from behind the desk, "Is it going to explode again?"

He shook his head, "No, Doctor. I know enough I should be able to contain it safely now."

He toggled his mike, "Console, this is Armsmaster."

"Armsmaster, Console here."

"What is the ETA on that PRT squad?"

"Already there, they are waiting outside. The officer in charge is Lt. Abrahms. Radio frequency 867.73. Over."

"Acknowledged." He switched the radio over to the appropriate frequency.

"Lt. Abrahms, Armsmaster here."

"Armsmaster, Abrahms. Will we be arresting Squealer today sir? Over."

"Negative. Tinker is not Squealer. Over."

"Okay. What's the situation?"

"Unknown Tinker tech device. Potentially highly dangerous, but currently stable. Will need a canister minimum diameter 13cm, length 52cm, to safely contain it.

"Say again Armsmaster?"

"I need you to bring me a tube at least 2ft long and 6in wide."

"Copy. Sending officer to fetch item."

Armsmaster toggled off the radio mike as he watched one end of the device reach the far wall, then promptly reversed direction, never slowing down one iota. 

"Doctor, how long will the patient need to stay on a pain medication, and would it be possible to switch her over to a non-opioid?"

He watched the doctor slowly stand up, "Only Tylenol I'm afraid. I don't dare put her on Toradol or an NSAID with her kidney problems. Her pain would be excruciating on just that though."

"I have no desire to increase her suffering. Is there a reason you have not simply used safety restraints and kept her on the morphine?"

"Yes," the doctor's green eyes lowered, "it has to do with why the poor girl is here in the first place. I'm not sure how much I can tell you but I have reason to strongly believe that keeping her in any kind of restraints might severely damage her mental health. For anything more you'll have to contact the police officer in charge of the investigation."

"Well her physical health and the safety of this hospital are our highest priorities at this moment. Pull her off the morphine for now and keep her away from any other potentially mind altering drugs unless her physical health absolutely requires it. And if you must use any, you will use the restraints. Is that clear? Therapy can always be done later." The doctor didn't look happy, but agreed. "Now I will need the names and numbers of her guardians and the officer in charge of her case."

She pulled out a file, "Father is Daniel Hebert. Mother deceased. The officer is Detective Ryan Jameson. Here are their numbers." She said handing him a small piece of paper.

"Thank you Doctor." He pulled out his PRT issued phone and dialed the second number.

"Brockton Bay Police Department, precinct 8. Is this an emergency?"

"No. This is Armsmaster. I seem to have become involved in one of your cases. Is Det. Jameson in?"

"Hold please." Synthesized classical strains filtered through his earpiece, "You're in luck. He has not left yet for the day. I will transfer you now."

"Detective Ryan Jameson speaking. How may I help you?" Voiced a tired baritone.

"Detective, this is Armsmaster."

"Identification code please?"

"Alpha tango epsilon 8467 delta delta."

"One moment." Keys clacked, "Checks out. What can I do for you Armsmaster?"

"One of your cases got tangled with my side of things. Taylor Hebert, current patient at McCrae Memorial was revealed as a parahuman when she began tinkering under the influence of her pain medication. What can you tell me about the incident that put her there?"

"No shit?" The detective sighed, "It's a nasty one. No sign of parahuman foul play though. From what we can piece together, at a little before 0800 there was a struggle between her and an unknown at Winslow Highschool, after which she was locked inside her school locker for approximately seven hours along with a whole heap of used feminine hygiene products, before she was found by the janitor and released. Her injuries were most like caused by the initial struggle and later attempts to escape the locker then worsened by the injuries becoming infected due to the biohazardous waste.

Armsmaster grimaced, he could guess what he meant by used feminine hygiene products, "Suspects?"

"Well at first it was a whole lot of nobody's seen anythings, but we caught a lucky break when we checked out the victim's home. See, she was clever, kept very detailed records of what appears to be a fairly substantial protracted bullying campaign. All circumstantial of course, but it gave us a number leads to put pressure on the witnesses to come clean as well as the names of the purported ringleaders. Emma Barnes, Sophia Hess, and Madison Clements."

Armsmaster froze, "Could you please repeat those names?"

"Now you aren't planning on stealing this case away from us too are you?"

"As all crimes seem to be civilian in nature, I assure you I do not plan to at this time. However, we do have a vested interest in this case and will provide all possible support in getting to the bottom of the matter. So those names again, please?"

"I have a feeling there's more to this than you're telling me, but I'll drop it for now. The main suspects are Emma Barnes, Sophia Hess, and Madison Clements."

"Thank you detective. If I find anything relevant I'll be sure to send it your way." Two PRT officers came trotting up, one holding a large postal tube. He held up one hand, a silent request for them to wait. 

"Any help would be appreciated. Anything else I can do for you tonight?"

"No. That is all I need for the moment."

"Welp. I best be getting back to my paperwork then. Happy hunting Armsmaster."

The Protectorate Commander ended the call and slid the phone back into its armored case before turning to the waiting officers curiously eying the still moving Slinky.

"That," he pointed to it, "is the Tinker tech device we were called here for. Do not underestimate it. It is potentially capable of a high degree of destruction. That said, as long as it remains in motion it seems to be relatively harmless. Your job is to keep it in motion until I can build something to do it for you."

"So... we just need to put it on an escalator then?" One joked.

"While that idea would admittedly work, I would prefer getting the potentially dangerous device back to headquarters. Now let's get it into the canister, and remember, it must stay in a continuous back and forth motion."

With a bit of quick maneuvering they got the device into the tube and headed out. Armsmaster was eager to get the Slinky device settled in the vault so that he could turn his full attention to the Taylor Hebert situation. Recruiting a new Tinker would be a coup, and if Sophia Hess had already ruined that possibility through her own actions, he swore her head would roll.


	3. The Investigation

It took Armsmaster only a short while to rig up an oscillation machine that would keep the Tinker device in motion and store both in a secure vault. After that he typed up his report on the incident and started a case file on the new Tinker. Checking the time, 7:42 am, he knew that Director Piggot should now be awake and in the midst of her morning ablutions. Knowing she would want to be informed of the situation as soon as possible, he input the call.

"Piggot. You better have a good reason for calling me at home this early Armsmaster."

"Shadow Stalker in her civilian ID has been implicated in a probable trigger event. Aggravated assault and battery, and false imprisonment. As per her parole agreement I need your permission to search all of her electronic devices, locker, and home for evidence of possible criminal activity in violation of said parole."

"I knew that decision would come back to bite us on the ass," the woman grumbled, "Alright Commander, permission is granted. Start on her phones, both PRT issued and personal, social media, and base locker. Leave her home until after she comes in today. And I want to see her straight away when she arrives. Do we currently have any tracking devices in the armory?"

"I don't believe so, but it wouldn't be hard to construct one by the time she's due to get in."

"Do so then. With her powers there is a greater risk she can escape even if we do find enough to arrest her. I won't have a parahuman on my watch believing she can get away with such behavior."

"There's no proof yet that she's for sure involved," the armored hero felt the need to point out.

"Hmph. Do you really believe that she isn't?" His silence answered, "It's best we're prepared for the worst case scenario in any event. Also, keep an eye out for any other suspicious actions she might have hidden from us. If she's guilty this once, there's probably more."

"Yes Director. In hindsight, she did have a questionable tendency to wander off in her partner during patrols."

"Before you go, I assume that you have already submitted your reports, but give me the highlights on this new parahuman?"

"Taylor Hebert, 15 year old female and current patient at McCrae Memorial Hospital where she outed herself after building a Tinker tech device whilst semi-lucid. The device was safely contained and confiscated to maintain public safety. High potential as a Tinker."

"And in your professional opinion, how safe is this girl's identity from the public and the gangs?"

The Protectorate Commander paused in thought, "The incident occurred during the night hours and the hospital staff are bound to patient confidentiality, but," he grimaced, "people do talk and I'm afraid it is only a matter of time. Days, if we're unlucky."

"Of course, and with Sophia possibly involved in her trigger, if this girl ever finds out she is a Ward, it'll be a simple matter for the gangs to recruit her. Let me make this clear Colin, if Shadow Stalker is at fault here I am not sticking my neck out any further for her. She'll reap what she's sown. And if we can show a commitment to justice, she might have just gotten us the recruit we need to replace her."

"It is a tight rope we will have to balance."

"Indeed. Meanwhile, I'll post a plainclothes officer to keep watch over Hebert at the hospital just in worst case. We want to be able to prove that we have her best interests in mind."

"Understood Director. With your permission?"

"Yes, yes. Just make sure to send that tracking chip up to the office before Sophia gets out of school today." The call ended.

Knowing he was now on a limited schedule to find proof of Sophia's involvement, the armored hero dialed a well familiar number.

"Colin," spoke a contralto voice happily, "to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Armsmaster smiled, "Tess, if you're not too busy I could really use your help with something."

"I don't have anything too pressing at the moment, so I can certainly lend a hand. Need a different eye to look over a new piece of tech?" She teased.

"If only. I just learned last night our very own parolee Ward might have gone off the rails. Her civilian ID has been officially implicated in a criminal investigation. Now we need to pry into every corner of her personal life to prove it one way or the other."

"And you want my expertise to help on the electronics end. I assume Director Piggot has given permission?"

"Verbal yes. Though with the contract Shadow Stalker signed, we really only need probable cause to search. I'm emailing you the necessary forms now." He said matching actions to words, "And sent."

"Let me see... Yes, I've received them," said the world famous Tinker. "Alright I'm pulling up her PRT phone records first, both calls and texts. Giving a quick skim... It doesn't look like she used it much. Kept it purely for Ward related work. I'm sending you those data files now.

"And now for her personal phone. Lots more phone calls. I'm seeing one number repeated especially."

"Is the owner of that number listed?"

"Yes, an Emma Barnes. Is it relevant?"

"Another of the girls implicated in this case. Pull up the text messages to her."

"Doing so... Looking over the most recent now. Oh, my." She exclaimed in shock, "Oh that poor girl."

"Dragon, what did you find?"

"Certainly more than enough proof. She openly brags about the assault and going further back clearly shows it to be completely premeditated with the early steps of their plan being put into place as long as a month earlier."

"And in how much of it is she personally involved?"

"Give me a moment and let me look at the texts with this other number... Okay, so it seems of the three girls involved the idea of shutting the victim in her locker came from a Madison Clements, the used pads and tampons filling it from Ms. Barnes, and Ms. Hess thought up letting it all rot in the locker for a month first. She was also the one to physically lay hands on their victim and force her inside the locker."

Armsmaster closed his eyes briefly and took a breath, "There's no way the girl went quietly with this. Any clue hinting why the school staff apparently never noticed?"

"Nothing recent, let me go back a bit further... More talk of smaller pranks, petty destruction of personal property, theft of school work and other academic sabotage. How despicable! I found it. 

"Apparently when a teacher tried to get involved early on in the bullying, their Principal, a Ms. Blackwell, squashed it. Sophia overheard her actually threaten his job and say that the monetary support the school gets for having a Ward attend is more important than one nobody student. The bullying also shows a marked increase in cruelty and frequency after this point on."

"I wish this Blackwell could be charged as an accessory to their crime, but if nothing else happens I'm going to make certain that woman is fired from her position and if possible blacklisted from any education position ever again."

"I hope you do. She certainly should not have ever been placed in a position of authority over minors." She said whilst continuing her search. "Oh! I found something else Colin. It seems this Emma is apparently in the know of Sophia's identity as Shadow Stalker. There's mentions to her of Sophia continuing her vigilante work on the sly - complete with use of lethal ammunition."

"Damn." He cursed, "Any possibility those mentions to any actual crimes?"

"Possibly. I can give you a listing of dates and times and you can try to match them to the relevant police files."

"Do so. Thank you Tess. This is enough to arrest her on. Tch, such a waste. She had such excellent potential as a hero."

"If this is how she acts in normal day to day life it's clear she doesn't understand what it truly means to be a hero, but maybe... Maybe, if she learns there are consequences to her actions and with some significant therapy, she might still have a chance to be one in the future."

"We can only hope. The villains already outnumber us, we really don't need to add to their number."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just letting everyone know, posting 3 chapters like this is an anomaly (since I had already posted this story over on Spacebattles) and usually I am a pretty slow updater.


End file.
